Tie Up the Black Dog Inc. was founded in 2007 in Goondiwindi, by three ladies who shared a passion for helping their own and other rural communities gain a better understanding of mental illness.

Stigma was rife in those early days—people thought a person should just "not be a wuss" or "get up and get on with it." One of the founders, Mary Woods, knew full well this was not always possible, as she had seen depression within her family.

The expression "Tie Up the Black Dog" has a very sound origin. While the term predates Winston Chuchill, he often commented that he felt that a black dog was following him when he had depression. As Winston had been through two World Wars, he would certainly have had depressive moments later in life.  We use the term because farmers all have a dog, and tie them up or put them in a kennel. Putting the black dog in the kennel is a sign of overcoming the depression; just as Winston, to overcome a bout of depression, would have put his imaginary dog into his imaginary kennel.

Wayne Bennett, famous coach of Brisbane Bronco’s rugby league team, and Craig Hamilton, ABC Grandstand Rugby League commentator have been strong supporters of our work over many years and have both spoken to large crowds on several occasions, including last year in Roma and Goondiwindi.

"This is a photo of Liz Wood, Mary Woods and Mary Carrigan with the team of young women who organised the Tie Up Your Black Tie Ball in Goondiwindi last January, which raised $20,000 for TUBD.  Other ladies are L to R Brooke Saxby, Eliza McInnerney, Grace Cobb and Kylie Moffatt (not pictured Dakota Gibson, one of the main organisers for that night.) Mary says “they went to extraordinary lengths to get that ball happening and it was a HUGE success!!"

Liz Wood, Wayne Bennett, Mary Woods, Craig Hamilton and Mary Carrigan, taken at Roma before the event in Nov 2015

Liz Wood, Mary Woods and Mary Carrigan.

This sign above of the large lit letters Dakota Gibson and her brother made for the ie Up Your Black Tie Ball. They were over six feet tall—people gathered all night to have their photo either taken in front of sign, or they’d stand in the letters where possible for a photo! This sign is to be used again at another fundraiser for TUBD being held in Goomburra Valley this coming January, 2017!

The TUBD philosophy
The ladies decided that taking sound clinical information along with a speaker who had a lived experience was a great formula to spread understanding. They have travelled, since 2007, all over the state, bringing events/speakers to communities who would normally not be able to access events of this nature.
"Communities have always een so supportive—funding for most of our events comes from the communities themselves, even when drought has been at its worst", founder Mary Woods said. "The rural community’s resilience has grown over the past ten years as information has been made more available, and people now realise that help is pretty readily available. But the work is never finished."

The key message delivered at TUBF events is to first, seek medical help. Get a diagnosis.  Use the facilities that ARE available in your community. Recognise that medication, while most important, isn’t the WHOLE answer. The critically important adjunct to medical treatment is to look inside yourself, find out what’s going on in there, what’s working well in your life, and more importantly, what isn’t - and take some positive steps forward. Often the old adage is true - if nothing changes, nothing changes.

Finding Help
Find financial, medical, psychological and holistic help under the following classifications within this Goondiwindi Pocket Book and/or at ww.pocketbooks.com.au:
Banks & Finance & Financial Planning, Bowen Therapy, Churches, Clubs-Health/Family, Clubs-Men, Clubs-Sport, Clubs-Welfare, Clubs-Women, Clubs-Youth, Clubs-Yoga, Counselling - Services, Government-Federal, Government-State, Hospitals, Massage Therapists, Martial Arts, Medical - Other Services, Medical - Practitioners & Services, Meditation, Natural Therapies, Psychologists.

A book with creative solutions for depression, anxiety and worry is Kissing the Black Dog by Wayne Ellis. Wayne is a Natural Therapist and speaker who lives on the unshine Coast, Qld, ph 0407 742 110, W: www.wayneellis.com.au, E: glaskin@ozemail.com.au

Raising $40,000
TIE UP THE BLACK DOG reached a pinnacle of recognition late last year when a young wedding photographer, Edwina Robertson posted a poignant drought wedding photo on Facebook. She pledged $3 for each time that photo was shared; and in less than 24 hours, it had been shared 4974 times!

There was a whirlwind of national and international publicity surrounding that FB post, and Edwina went on to create a crowd-funding site, which raised another $25,000 in ten days!

"We are pledging those funds to go towards a project in the Central West; something that will have lasting benefit and value to that community. We want to leave something behind, apart from our travelling cavalcade of events and this money will enable us to do that."

It was raised from a photo taken during the Central West’s blackest hours, and we hope the money will be returned to that region, where it can do the most good over the biggest area."

Mary believes in "raising our own funds from our own communities, and keeping expenses to a minimum”, so that the services provided have a greater meaning for those who are helped.

The People
The three main people behind the TUBD project have a history of farming, seeing how depression affects lives, but also with the will to do something about the problem.

The Woods name is pretty famous around Goondiwindi. Mary’s husband’s first cousin was Tom Woods (Snr) the former Waggamba Shire chairman. Mary Woods, originally an English school teacher, still works the farm, “Coorangy”, north of Toobeah.

Liz Wood, retired from the cotton farm soon after her husband died in an accident. Liz now lives in town, in Goondiwindi.   

Originally from Moree, Mary splits her time between the family property with her husband at Dirranbandi, and as an administration organiser at Goondiwindi Training & Technology.

The fourth little local cog is Brooke Saxby, the secretary at the Goondiwindi Chamber of Commerce.

Written by Gerry Clarke

B.PED, Ph (07) 5438 1881

With Major contribution from Mary Woods.